Geoffrey Bawa’s Lunuganga Estate Opens His Master Suite

March 16, 2023

{March2023] Geoffrey Bawa’s former master suite and private quarters at Lunuganga Estate is now open to guests for the first time in its history. Located in Lunuganga’s Main House, the suite was painstakingly reopened by the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, who curated the interiors to leave them as close as possible to the way Bawa lived in them.


[March2023] Geoffrey Bawa’s former master suite and private quarters at Lunuganga Estate is now open to guests for the first time in its history. Located in Lunuganga’s Main House, the suite was painstakingly reopened by the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, who curated the interiors to leave them as close as possible to the way Bawa lived in them.

Furnished with a rare collection of original artworks, as well as Bawa’s personal library, the newly available Master Suite offers guests a spacious living area, a charming private courtyard with a sitting area, and a beautiful ensuite bathroom that connects to an outdoor tropical plunge pool.

Lunuganga was the beloved country estate of renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa. Recognised for his unique ability to blend distinct buildings with their natural surroundings, the property was transformed into one of the most passionate and seductive gardens of the twentieth century and includes 10 bedrooms furnished delicately with antiques and art.

The Estate is now overlooked by the Geoffrey Bawa Trust, a non-profit, public trust that was established in 1982 by the late architect with the objectives of furthering the fields of Architecture, the Fine Arts and Ecological and Environmental Studies. Since the architect’s passing in 2003, the Trust has sustained year-round public programmes comprising lectures, educational tours, scholarships, residencies and exhibitions which engage broader discourse on the built environment and the arts in both Sri Lanka and overseas.

The Lunuganga Estate is managed by Teardrop Hotels on behalf of the Geoffrey Bawa Trust. As a hotel, it was named one of Sri Lanka’s Best Hotels by Conde Nast Traveller in 2023 and was awarded ‘Best Cultural Space’ by the Tatler Travel Guide 2023.  

Henry Fitch, Chief Executive Officer of Teardrop Hotels, states: “We are thrilled to have opened Geoffrey Bawa’s beautiful Master Suite to guests – the space is incredibly beautiful and gives a real insight into how Bawa planned his private rooms in relation to the more public areas of the Main House which have been opened to the public for decades. The Geoffrey Bawa Trust have done an incredible job in classifying and curating all the items within this suite, which will give guests an immediate understanding of the art and books that Bawa lived with daily at Lunuganga.”

Channa Daswatte of The Geoffrey Bawa Trust continues: “Opening the Master Suite for guest use was indeed a difficult decision for the Trust, as it contained very intimate aspects of Geoffrey Bawa’s life. However, 20 years after the architect passed, it seemed appropriate that this could be shared without hurting the sentiments of his friends and associates.”

The Master Suite starts from USD 555nett per night on Double sharing Bed and Breakfast basis.

ENDS

For high-res imagery of the Geoffrey Bawa Master Suite: https://bit.ly/3JjoShT

For additional high-res imagery of Lunuganga Estate: https://bit.ly/3yGa1sY

For a factsheet on Lunuganga: https://www.dropbox.com/s/el3aemt1cn3436w/Lunuganga.pdf?dl=0

For more information on Lunganga : https://www.teardrop-hotels.com/lunuganga/

Press contacts– Companion Communications

Dominique Backhouse – Hong Kong: Dominique@companioncommunications.com

Sneha Rupani-Nagpal – Singapore: Sneha@companioncommunications.com

About Teardrop Hotels

Teardrop Hotels are a collection of small, stylish, service-driven boutique hotels which champion Sri Lanka’s rich history, dazzling diversity and legendary island hospitality.

Acclaimed for contemporising centuries-old heritage buildings and vintage tea bungalows-with-views in distinct regions across the island, Teardrop’s luxury hotels in Sri Lanka are defined by each destination and encourage you to explore, experience and shape your own Sri Lanka story.

In addition to Lunuganga, there is Wallawwa, a centuries old manor house converted to a stylish, award winning boutique hotel near the island’s international airport, the magical Fort Bazaar in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Galle Fort, Kumu Beach, a fabulous10 bedroom beach hotel on the shores of Balapitiya, and a collection of ‘Tea Planters’ bungalows in the Hill Country towns of Dickoya, Nuwara Eliya,and Ella.